Thunder vs. Cavaliers: Key takeaways from Cleveland’s impressive victory

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As we approach the midway point of the regular season, three teams in the NBA stand out as real contenders. This isn’t to say all three will find themselves in the conference finals, nor is it to say another squad won’t enter the picture. But as of right now, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be a notch above everyone else.

The Thunder and Cavs faced off Wednesday night, with both combining to win 25 straight games (15 straight for the Thunder, 10 for the Cavs), and the Cavs took care of business, extending their winning streak with a 129-122 victory.

These are matchups that might also drop some crucial breadcrumbs as to who will face each other in June. The Thunder on Sunday night disposed of the Celtics — somewhat convincingly — offering up a delicious subplot for this marquee matchup.

Here are some key takeaways from Wednesday night’s game that could prove important down the line:

SGA understanding his responsibility

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, one of the league’s best players and an MVP candidate, once again displayed the combination of his 6-foot-6 frame, patient offense and sublime court vision to constantly probe Cleveland’s defense. He finished with 31 points on 13-of-27 shooting.

The 26-year-old is one of the most potent and fluid two-way stars in the league and almost seems bound to average 30-plus points over the next few years by being fundamentally sound and shooting within the flow of the offense.

That said, when the Thunder go through offensive droughts, Gilgeous-Alexander will occasionally step outside the offense and call his own number on consecutive possessions, which is the role of a superstar after all. Against the Cavs, with the lead constantly changing hands, the All-NBA guard very much decided to take matters into his own hands.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) goes up for a dunk in front of Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) in the first half Wednesday in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Cavs utilizing depth

Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson has dialed down the minutes of his starters, with only Donovan…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/thunder-vs-cavaliers-key-takeaways-from-clevelands-impressive-victory-032757738.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2025-01-09 03:27:00

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